LIGHT GUIDING KEY STRUCTURE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20200135418A1
• Filed: 01/04/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanning Fugui Precision Industrial Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nanning Fugui Precision Industrial Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: ZHOU, DONG-BO, JIANG, BO
• Granted Patent: US 10,622,171 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/22 Absorbing filters G02B5/201 - G02B5/208 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0071 with elongated shape, e.g. tube
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/023 Light-emitting indicators for multi-layer switches H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/039 Selective or different modes of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/0622 only an illuminated ring around keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/044 Elastic part on actuator or casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/028 perpendicular to base of keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

A light guiding key comprises a light emitting assembly, a switch assembly, a light shielding assembly, a light guiding member, a light transmitting member, and a light shielding film. Simultaneous and regional display of multiple colors of light on the same key area are carried out by the light guiding key. The light emitting assembly comprises a first light emitting member and a second light emitting member. The switch assembly comprises a switch for controlling whether the second light emitting member emits light and a button for pressing the switch. The light shielding assembly and the button enclose a first light channel and a second light channel which are isolated from each other. The present disclosure also provides an electronic device comprising the light guiding key structure.

Claims

1. A light guiding key structure, comprising:

a light emitting assembly comprising a circuit board, a first light emitting member and a second light emitting member, the first light emitting member and the second light emitting member being electrically connected to the circuit board and used to emit light of different colors;

a switch assembly comprising a switch for controlling whether the second light emitting member emits light and a button for pressing the switch;

a light shielding assembly, the light shielding assembly and the button cooperatively enclosing a first light channel and a second light channel isolated from the first light channel;

a light guiding member;

a light transmitting member; and

a light shielding film;

wherein, the light emitted by the first light emitting member enters the first light channel and passes through the light guiding member to form a first light pattern on the button, and the light emitted by the second light emitting member enters the second light channel and passes through a light transmitting region formed by the light transmitting member and the light shielding film to form a second light pattern at edge of the button.

2. The light guiding key structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the button comprises a body with a hollow structure and a pressing portion located on one side of the body away from the switch, the body is received in the light shielding assembly, and the inner surface of the body encloses the first light channel and the outer surface of the body encloses the second light channel with the light shielding assembly.

3. The light guiding key structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pressing portion defines a light hole;

the light guiding member comprises a light guiding protrusion having a shape corresponding to the light hole, and the light guiding protrusion is fitted into the light hole.

4. The light guiding key structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the light guiding member further comprises a substrate and the light guiding protrusion is extended from the substrate, and the substrate is received in the first light channel and abuts against the pressing portion.

5. The light guiding key structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the button further comprises a resilient arm and a limiting base, and one end of the resilient arm is connected to the body and the other end is connected to the limiting base;

the limiting base is fixed to enable the button to have a function of rebounding after pressing.

6. The light guiding key structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the light transmitting member is a light diffusing film and defines a through hole;

the light shielding film defines a via hole, and the light transmitting member and the light shielding film are sequentially sleeved outside the pressing portion.

7. The light guiding key structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pressing portion has a shape of circle, the through hole has a shape of circle equal in size to that of the pressing portion, the via hole has a shape of circle and is larger in area than that of the through hole, and the through hole and the via hole are coaxially positioned.

8. The light guiding key structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the light transmitting member is a light guiding tube, the light guiding tube is located in the second light channel and is sleeved outside the button;

the light shielding film defines a via hole, and ends of the light guiding tube and the button that is adjacent to the pressing portion penetrate the via hole.

9. The light guiding key structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light shielding assembly comprises a first light shielding member and a second light shielding member, one of the first light shielding member and the second light shielding member is provided with a latching arm and the other is provided with a latching protrusion, and the latching arm and the latching protrusion are snap-fitted.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a receiving cavity; and

a light guiding key structure received in the receiving cavity and comprising;

a light emitting assembly comprising a circuit board, a first light emitting member and a second light emitting member, the first light emitting member and the second light emitting member being electrically connected to the circuit board and used to emit light of different colors;

a switch assembly comprising a switch for controlling whether the second light emitting member emits light and a button for pressing the switch;

a light shielding assembly, the light shielding assembly and the button cooperatively enclosing a first light channel and a second light channel isolated from the first light channel;

a light guiding member;

a light transmitting member; and

a light shielding film;

wherein, the light emitted by the first light emitting member enters the first light channel and passes through the light guiding member to form a first light pattern on the button, and the light emitted by the second light emitting member enters the second light channel and passes through a light transmitting region formed by the light transmitting member and the light shielding film to form a second light pattern at edge of the button.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the button comprises a body with a hollow structure and a pressing portion located on one side of the body away from the switch, the body is received in the light shielding assembly, and the inner surface of the body encloses the first light channel and the outer surface of the body encloses the second light channel with the light shielding assembly.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pressing portion defines a light hole;

the light guiding member comprises a light guiding protrusion having a shape corresponding to the light hole, and the light guiding protrusion is fitted into the light hole.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the light guiding member further comprises a substrate and the light guiding protrusion is extended from the substrate, and the substrate is received in the first light channel and abuts against the pressing portion.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the button further comprises a resilient arm and a limiting base, and one end of the resilient arm is connected to the body and the other end is connected to the limiting base;

the limiting base is fixed to enable the button to have a function of rebounding after pressing.

15. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the light transmitting member is a light diffusing film and defines a through hole;

the light shielding film defines a via hole, and light transmitting member and the light shielding film are sequentially sleeved outside the pressing portion.

16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the pressing portion has a shape of circle, the through hole has a shape of circle equal in size to that of the pressing portion, the via hole has a shape of circle and is larger in area than that of the through hole, and the through hole and the via hole are coaxially positioned.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the light transmitting member is a light guiding tube, the light guiding tube is located in the second light channel and is sleeved outside the button;

the light shielding film defines a via hole, and ends of the light guiding tube and the button that is adjacent to the pressing portion penetrate the via hole.

18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the light shielding assembly includes a first light shielding member and a second light shielding member, one of the first light shielding member and the second light shielding member is provided with a latching arm and the other is provided with a latching protrusion, and the latching arm and the latching protrusion are snap-fitted.

19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the housing defines a button hole, and the pressing portion is received in the button hole.

20. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the housing comprises a bottom wall, a side wall, a limiting column, a rib, a first limiting buckle and a second limiting buckle;

the side wall is extended from edge of the bottom wall and defines the button hole;

the limiting column, the rib, the first limiting buckle and the second limiting buckle protrude from the bottom wall or from the side wall toward the receiving cavity and are used to fix the circuit, the light shielding assembly and the button.